Kawasaki Heavy Secures VLGC Order from Kumiai Navigation

Japanese shipbuilding company Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has received a very large gas carrier (VLGC) order from Singapore’s Kumiai Navigation.

Kawasaki will build the 84,000 cbm vessel at its Sakaide Shipyard, a spokesperson of KHI told World Maritime News.

No further details have been unveiled.

Back in 2015, Kumiai Navigation ordered two 82,200 cbm VLGC LPG vessels at Kawasaki Heavy. The first of them, Pyxis Alfa, was handed over to its owner in May 2017, while the second one is scheduled for delivery in April this year, according to information provided by VesselsValue.

In addition, Kumiai Navigation ordered one more identical VLGC vessel at Kawasaki in 2017. The newbuilding, currently under construction at Sakaide yard, is slated for delivery in January 2020.

Last month, Kumiai decided to dispose of one VLGC LPG ship, Ocean Orchid. The 79,538 cbm ship, built in 2001, was sold for USD 24 million to an unnamed Middle Eastern buyer.

Established in 1995, Kumiai Navigation is a subsidiary of Kumiai Senpaku Co Ltd, a shipowner in Japan. The company currently has a fleet of fourteen vessels including bulkers and LPG carriers, with a total fleet value of USD 718.34 million, VesselsValue’s data shows.